


The Gifted

by Flying_Flitwicks



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, Family, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:40:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24328162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flying_Flitwicks/pseuds/Flying_Flitwicks
Summary: Being ‘Pure’ was a necessity for the oldest Wizarding families. Being ‘Pure’ meant keeping their Gifts alive. AU.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 23
Kudos: 52





	1. Lull Before the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> The Gifted is a Harry Potter AU that plays on the question why wizards and witches are so determined to keep their bloodlines 'pure'. In this story, certain bloodlines are blessed with Gifts that automatically places them higher in the political and social strata.
> 
> This was written in 2016. I can't stop editing this so I might as well post it. I hope you'll stick around x

_27 November 1979_

The gentle morning breeze swept into the room and comforted the couple in their shallow sleep. Its caresses felt like whispers on his skin, urging him to wake up. Almost like a spell, it entranced him as he stirred in his sleep.

James Potter yawned and raised his arms, fingers-crossed high above his head until he heard a cracking noise. He grinned sleepily as he realised he must have looked like Mr. Mistoffelees, Evans' dearly beloved departed cat. Continuing his charade as a cat, he moved to retract his arms, accidentally nudging a solid object beside him in the process. It felt a bit warm and, taking a quick sniff to identify the unknown 'object', he discovered it smelt like a combination he was immensely familiar with: flowers, books, and _love_.

If someone were to ask James how a person could smell like love, he wouldn't be able to give them a proper answer. He didn't know how a person could smell like love, but she did.

Nay, she was _—is—_ love for James, and he bloody adored it.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, only to be bombarded with hair in the colour of sunset. He quickly pursed his lips to stop himself from laughing. _Sunset?_ Godric, Sirius was right. He was truly turning into a puddle of goo.

Careful not to wake the woman beside him, he stroked her hair, which shimmered like fire in his fingers. He began to hum a tune as he tried to recall events from last night: a dinner at Lily's favourite Muggle restaurant (Adil, wasn't it? He could still taste the curry from his burnt tongue and stained fingers), a spontaneous check-in at a hotel (they had too many beers to Apparate back to the cottage), a Magical Vow, and an act of passionate lovemaking to end the night.

James' blood ran cold as he backtracked in his thoughts. A Magical _Wedding_ Vow?

"Evans? Ev...Lily...Lily _Potter_?" he muttered in disbelief as he searched for the ring he bought before they had even graduated from Hogwarts. Sitting delicately on her hand was a thin silver band lined with tiny rubies and emeralds. He felt her hand squeeze his own and he automatically returned the pressure.

"Yes, James _Potter_?" she mimicked his tone without opening her eyes. "Already bailing on me?"

"Never," he responded quickly with a tone of urgency. " _Never._ Did you really say yes?"

Lily squirmed closer to bump her head against his own. "Of course I did, you prat. Is there a reason not to?"

James felt his confidence crack a bit. "Well, it's a bit sudden, you see. First, I'm a prat. You've made that very clear." He grinned playfully at her to keep the atmosphere light, but he couldn't stop himself from keeping the shame crawl up his spine. "We didn't even plan a wedding _—_ you've told me about your perfect dream wedding _—_ and you deserve it! There wasn't anyone to witness it! I know it wasn't necessary, but it would've been nice to share with the gang, yeah? For old times sakes?"

James chewed nervously on his lip.

"My parents _—_ oh _Merlin—_ I do not even want to go there. Would your sister even bother to attend? We probably would've sent her an invitation to our...hypothetical wedding. And that stupid, discriminatory, pretentious, old law as well–"

James trailed off when Lily finally opened her eyes. Her eyes were undeniably James' favourite feature (and weakness, according to several sources). They were extremely expressive and always so… _alive_. He liked how her emerald orbs sparked in anger, how her eyes lit up whenever she was excited, how they stared at him in a daze while in the throes of lovemaking, and, currently, how they were gleaming with amusement.

"We'll figure it out, James. As long as I have you beside me, everything will be alright."

She sounded so certain, leaving absolutely no room for argument, that James couldn't help but believe in her words.


	2. Parkinson's Law

_27 November 1979_

James Potter found himself staring at Lily's silhouette through the bathroom's frosted glass walls. He watched her hand dip in the luxurious tub, followed by the rest of her body, until her entire figure was immersed in the water. He yearned to join her, but how could he do so after just hearing Sirius' Patronus message?

He had an inkling that everything wasn't alright.

After releasing a regretful sigh, James grabbed his wand to get himself dressed and refreshed. Wrestling with his tie, he tried not to panic as he recalled the message he had gotten from his brother.

_As James and Lily were about to take a long soak in the tub, a silver mist breached his minor security charms before forming into a familiar figure. Padfoot stood rigid on all fours, looking at James with an intensity that he had never seen before. He waited several minutes for the Patronus to relay Sirius's message, only for it to keep its silence and gaze on him._

_With a sigh, James knew exactly what Padfoot was waiting for. Turning to face Lily, he found her looking at the Patronus with a confused expression. "Hey, Evans, let me take this message from Pads, okay? I'll join you soon."_

_He saw in her face that she wanted to stay and knew that she was about to open her mouth to protest. It surprised him that she instead nodded without an utterance of a single complaint. She turned to enter the bathroom, and was about to close the door, when she paused to look at him straight in the eye._

" _And it's_ Potter _, Potter. Stop calling me Evans already." She proceeded to shut the door in his face._

" _Sorry," he apologised sheepishly. He turned to the Patronus which seemed to regard him with an unreadable look. "That's right, Padfoot, she's my wife now!"_

_Padfoot moved in front of James, barely giving him enough time to suppress the impressive string of profanities streaming from the Patronus' mouth with a privacy charm._

" _James, where the fucking hell are you?! We've been trying to contact you for hours now! You've been gone for the entire night and what news do we get from the Ministry? You're bloody married! Are you a turd or what? All of our planning down the drain! Oh just come home, will you? Dad's trying to hold off the reporters, Mum's hysterical. Apparate straight to Dad's study. Tell him_ everything _. Oh, and do not bring Lily, got me? Do_ not _bring her."_

"James?"

James was pulled out of his musings by Lily's concerned voice. He immediately entered the luxurious bathroom, dismissing its golden walls as his eyes zoomed straight to Lily's figure. She looked majestic with her body submerged in a tub filled with roses and bath salts.

"Why are you dressed?"

He quickly crossed the floor and kneeled beside her. "Sirius just asked me to head back to the manor. My dad wants to discuss something important. Will you be alright?"

Lily splashed a bit of water at him as she affectionately rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about me. Go on, your family needs you." She kissed him softly on the corner of his lips and asked, "Promise me you'll come back soon?"

"I promise," he whispered, grabbing the hand that was gripping the edge of the tub to nuzzle it. He gave her one playful, chaste kiss before quickly heading to the lift. Once out of the premises of the hotel, he quickly hid in an alleyway to Disapparate.

* * *

"What the bloody hell were you thinking?!"

As soon as James Apparated into Charlus' study, he was greeted with a shout of disbelief and a slap of a newspaper by his feet. At this point, it felt like he was on autopilot as his mind went blank while bending over to pick-up the paper. His eyes widened at the front page article.

_HEIR POTTER UNITED IN WEDLOCK WITH MUGGLE-BORN!_

_The Prophet recently acquired information from a reputable source that Heir James Potter has taken a Magical Wedding Vow with a Muggle-born dubbed Lily Evans, former schoolmate from Hogwarts. While it has only transpired on the 26th of November 1979, word has quickly spread and it has been received with varying reactions._

_Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore welcomed the union and sends his finest wishes to the newly-wed couple. It is to be acknowledged that both Heir Potter and Muggle-born Evans were sorted into Dumbledore's alma mater, House of Gryffindor. Meanwhile, Undersecretary Tom Gaunt delivered a statement inducing that "this is an outrage and a blatant violation of one of the oldest laws of the land: Parkinson's Law. It is another strategy of the Potters to abolish the Gifted." He added that there was a necessity to uphold and protect Noble Pureblood families from certain threats._

_In 1733, Former Minister Perseus Parkinson historically passed a bill against Gifted–Non-Gifted inter-marriages in order to preserve Gifts amongst the pure-blooded. Parkinson's Law has undergone several changes, including allowing Scions to marry sullied bloodlines. It is to be noted that Heir James Charlus Potter is the only progeny of Lord Charlus Fleamont Potter and Lady Dorea Irma Potter (_ _née_ _Black), last direct descendants of the House of Potter in Magical Britain._

_While the Prophet has yet to receive a response from the House of Potter, the public is left to speculate. What does this have in store for Magical Britain? Will another family be deprived of its ancient Gift due to being tainted? Open to page 3 for more information about Parkinson's Law and the Gifted._

James stared in disbelief at the paper in his hands. A three-hundred year-old law that hadn't been enforced in over a century was threatening to endanger his marriage with Lily. The same damned law was threatening his family and the morals of the society. He willed his brain to think of solutions for his situation, but he couldn't stop the questions pouring out of his mouth.

"How did they find out? Who reported this? Who gave them this information?" he demanded, letting out a growl as he subconsciously crumpled the paper in his hand. "It is illegal to scourge information from pure-blood families, is it not?"

Panting from the sudden spike of his adrenaline, he threw the creased newspaper in the fireplace and watched it turn into ashes before returning his gaze to Charlus. He bit back the rest of his fury when he saw identical hazel eyes peering at him as if searching for something.

Under his father's scrutinizing eyes, James stood uncomfortably as he waited for Charlus to speak. He watched his father avert his gaze, pushed himself from the desk he was leaning on, then proceeded to sit on his chair to grab a bottle of Ogden's from his desk. The Elder Potter took two sips before settling to nurse the drink instead. James couldn't help but sigh in anticipation and relief when Charlus finally spoke.

"You're not denying it," Charlus stated in a calm tone. Looking at the glass in his hand, he turned the drink _one, two, three_ times before asking him, "It's true, isn't it?"

"Of course it is."

James automatically turned to look behind him. He watched Dorea saunter into the room with her own copy of the Prophet in hand. Once reaching the two men, she slammed the paper on the mahogany desk and turned to address Charlus. "We should've taken action while he was still smitten in Hogwarts."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you two actually against this? You're an advocate for Muggle-borns! How can you be opposed to my marriage with Lily?"

"That's not the issue here, James," Charlus stated with a firm voice. "We support your marriage, but the timing is the problem here! You know we're on a tightrope against Yaxley's bloc! You know of the intense loathing Minchum regards me with! _Godric,_ I'm sure the rumour that I'm running against him came from his own camp!"

"How could you do this to us, James? How could you do this to your own blood?" Dorea asked, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Are we not your family anymore?"

Shocked at her accusation, James vigorously shook his head. "No, no, Mum, of course you–"

"Then how could you!" James felt his body freeze as if he had been slapped. Amidst all the stupidity he had done, Dorea had never raised her voice against him. "I never raised you with my own beliefs, James. My only wish was for you to be loyal to your family. _Familia Supra Omnia,_ my son."

It was true. Dorea had never spouted any of her pure-blooded beliefs other than upholding family over everything. James wanted to pull at his hair in his frustration, but decided against it when he realised that his mum would become even more distressed with his action. Sliding slowly to his knees, a move favoured by the elders for asking forgiveness, he apologised quietly. "I'm sorry." He was sorry for everything _—_ for not thinking about the consequences and most importantly, for being selfish.

"What were you even thinking, son?" Charlus asked morosely. "Were you thinking of running away? Join one of the Potter families in another continent?" A wave of realization appeared on his face. "Is that why you opened a universal vault?"

Yes," James admitted quietly.

He had been planning to escape from the woes of politics and media since he had begun courting Lily in sixth year. Sirius thought he was crazy for thinking of marriage at a young age, but James knew Lily was the one for him. He couldn't mess this up for her. And so they had plotted—Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Lily too, when he had finally told her of a forgotten law that might be used against them outside of Hogwarts.

As students, no one had taken their relationship seriously. Even Gifted Heirs dated a few Muggle-born students here and there, but none of them ended up marrying one. No one knew how James and Lily were serious with each other, except Sirius perhaps.

Charlus heaved a sigh and turned to address his wife. "Too much Gryffindor courage?"

Dorea sniffed in response as she reached down to pull James to his feet. "I love you, my son," Dorea said, cupping his cheeks with her palms. "Why must you be so stubborn?"

"That's one of the reasons you love me," James answered softly.

"Perhaps," Dorea agreed and patted his cheek. She took a few steps back to position herself beside Charlus. Standing in front of them, James felt like a little child instead of a nineteen-year old.

"Leave us for a while. Wizengamot has called up for an emergency meeting tomorrow morning and we have to prepare." Charlus gave him a reassuring smile. "We'll try to fix this. Use this time to reflect, please. Stay in the manor and _don't_ even attempt to Apparate."

"I'm on house arrest?" James asked in shock.

"If you put it that way, then yes," Charlus conceded in a firm tone. "Tell…Lily to stay in the Muggle world for a while. Tell her to hide while we settle this. We must not physically bring her into court, or else they'll do something to her. Do you understand?" James nodded quickly. "Use this time to consider and think of the next action. Help us, James."

* * *

"I can't believe you did it, Prongs."

James looked up from the various bottles of liquor and saluted to acknowledge Sirius' presence. He returned his gaze to gingerly peruse his hidden stash of liquor before closing it to open another collection underneath. _Muggle beers._ Tossing a can to Sirius before grabbing one himself, James walked behind his study desk to sit on the chair, while Sirius opted for the couch.

"Japanese?" Sirius asked, raising a sceptical eyebrow at him.

"Yeah," he muttered as he stared at the can. _Asaki._ "They were a gift from Lily's parents when they went to Japan for an anniversary."

Taking it as an invitation to open his can, Sirius tipped his head back to take a huge gulp and asked, "What were you thinking, Prongs?"

"I wasn't," James confessed as he opened his can. He took a sip before explaining, "I wasn't really thinking, Pads. It just...happened."

Sirius smirked and raised his can in his direction. "And what else is new?"

"Shut your gob, Padfoot," James replied sulkily, shooting him a glare when Sirius barked a laugh. They tipped their cans to each other before taking a long drink in silence. Falling into their usual comfortable peace usually calmed James, but it felt like torture this time.

He couldn't stop his mind from fretting over Lily. He felt terrible on how she was suddenly left in that hotel room without any warning on his part. He felt sickened as he envisioned how she might've felt after receiving that distressing, cryptic Patronus message from Prongs.

He was just _this_ close to running away from home. He had half a mind to plan his escape already: subdue Sirius, grab the Cloak, and just _run—_ until Sirius broke his dangerous train of thought.

"Do you regret it?"

James stared at can in his hand as he mulled the question over and over again. Had he regretted doing it? Definitely not. Did he regret doing it now?

"Perchance," he considered. "Do I regret being married to Lily? No. Am I regretful about the timing? That's a whole different cauldron." He turned to look at Sirius, whose gaze was upon one of the pictures on his bedside drawer. "But if I were to do it again, I don't think I would've changed any of it."

"Why?"

"It felt right." This time, James followed Sirius' gaze with a steady look of his own.

The photo he was looking at was taken in Seventh Year when they had given Aunt Minnie a Muggle camera for Christmas. He looked at the static faces of Sirius, Remus, Peter, Lily, Marlene, and Dorcas—they looked carefree and exhilarated as they were frozen in an eternal hug. It was weird seeing non-moving pictures, but, nonetheless, it remained one of his favourite photos.

His gaze moved to another picture—a moving one this time. It was of him and Lily, bundled up in winter attire as they danced to some silly song in a Muggle park. How he yearned to be beside his girlf–nay, wife right now.

"I love her so much, Pads."

"I know," Sirius whispered before tipping back his head to finish his beer. James followed suit. "What's the plan?"

"Mum and Dad are trying to come up with a plan to present to the Wizengamot tomorrow morning," James began, making his empty can disappear with a flick of his wand. "I already sent a message to Lily, told her that she should stay in the Muggle world for a while."

"You think she'll take that seriously? She's stubborn as a hippogriff."

"That's where you come in, Pads." James turned to Sirius with a sombre expression. "Everyone will be watching me like thunderbirds. Please, _please_ help Lily in any way you can."

"I will," Sirius assured him with a determined expression.

* * *

"Merlin's beard, this is bloody harder than I thought!" a young woman complained as she stashed herself in an alleyway after shrinking her bag of necessities—newly bought from a nearby grocer's store. Feeling a bit scared and unsure of the upcoming days, she knew she had to channel someone important within her mind...someone more formidable than her own self.

_Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan._

Struggling to keep the bobby pins in her thick red mane, she felt the rest of the 'flobberworm-like hair'—dubbed by James when she had dragged the four of them to watch Star Wars in a random Muggle cinema, days after their last Christmas as Hogwarts students at the cottage—droop and fall to its original position:

Straight and lifeless by her ear.

Glaring at the bobby pins muddled in the dirty puddle of water, she sighed and removed the other side bun on her head. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at her long, dark red hair. In an instant, two perfect 'Leia buns' sat on her head.

"So much for doing it the Muggle way," she remarked bitterly to herself.

Satisfied with her hairstyle, she strolled out of the alleyway and found herself at the end of a quaint Muggle village. She tried to study the area in the least conspicuous way as possible while following her modified Four-point spell (layered with a couple of charms, notice-me-not one of them, of course) to find 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging in Surrey.

"How bland," Lily Potter muttered to herself as she peered at the identical boxy houses decked on both sides of the street. "As if James and I are ever going to live in a place like this. We could never fit—oh there's number four!" She hurriedly hid her wand in her pocket before attempting to adjust her clothes.

"You can do this, Lily," she chanted to herself. "It's just Tuney!" Gathering her wits about her, she raised her hand to strike six sharp knocks on the door.

The door was immediately opened by Petunia, whom she hadn't seen since they had buried their parents four years ago. She had hardly changed since Lily last saw her, albeit she looked a lot older and more mature. Lily immediately mimicked Remus' innocent expression.

"Good morn—what the bloody hell are you doing here?" Petunia hissed as she surveyed the streets for any onlookers. Lily couldn't help but let herself be impressed at her sister's instantaneous shift of expression from gracious hostess to hostile sister. She waited silently for Petunia's brown eyes to land on her again.

"Go inside, you _witch_. People will talk." The next thing Lily knew, she was being hastily shoved through the front door.

Lily surveyed the living room in front of her and didn't bother hiding her expression of disgust as her gaze settled on a huge portrait of Vernon and Petunia. Their postures suggested a happily married couple but there was something a little…unnatural about the way they held each other. Lily dragged her eyes away from the picture.

"Vernon isn't here?"

"No," Petunia answered bluntly, glaring at the buns atop Lily's head. Petunia raised her chin and rolled her eyes, and Lily got the impression that her sister thought it was silly of her to fashion her hair like this. Which was good. The look of disdain on Petunia's face only made her love her 'flobberworm-like hair buns' even more.

"Answer me. What are you doing here?"

While Lily thought of ways to break the news to her sister, she stared back defiantly as a pretense that all was well. The words _marriage, stupid law, blood status_ were still swirling in her mind like a hurricane when she suddenly noticed something peculiar about Petunia that she couldn't place a finger on.

There was a difference in the way her sister carried herself, something unfamiliar about her lithe frame. Her roaming eyes finally lingered on Petunia's stomach and a pair of hands immediately clutched at it as if to protect it.

Lily gasped in realization. "Tuney, are you pregnant?"

As if on instinct, Petunia immediately retracted her hands from her stomach then hastily put them back, all the while keeping their eyes locked together. "No. I mean— _yes!_ Jealous?" she asked in a defiant tone, as if challenging her sister.

Lily couldn't help herself from letting forth a squeal of joy as she encased Petunia's body in a hug. "Oh, I'm so happy for you, Tuney! You're going to be a mother! I'm going to be an aunt! Wow!" she breathed out, glad when she felt Petunia's body relaxing in her embrace.

"Let me spoil him, please?" She felt Petunia tense under her hug before being briskly pushed away.

"Speak. What are you really doing here?" Petunia asked as she brushed her dress for invisible dust. As if hugging her sister made her dress dirty. As if Lily was filth, or _mud_.

Pursing her lips to keep from crying, she tried to avoid Petunia's stare. Taking a deep breath and mustering all her courage, she spoke, injecting a plea into her voice.

"Please help me, Tuney. Let me hide here for a while."


	3. The Wicked Witch Is Dead

_27 November 1979_

"Let me get this straight: you married some aristocrat, whom you're not allowed to marry because it's against the law, and now you're hiding from said law?"

Lily gritted her teeth in order to stop herself from lashing out against her sister. She refused to succumb to what was known as the 'Evans temper' _—_ dubbed by James and Sirius, of course. Breathing in and out in an effort to calm herself, she answered succinctly, an edge to her voice. "Yes."

"Wow, that was stupid."

Lily felt something inside her—her sanity, perhaps—snap as she whipped her face in Petunia's direction.

"That's all you've got from what I just told you?" she asked in the most incredulous tone she could muster.

"What? You think I'd weep over your pathetic sob story?"

Lily flushed at Petunia's condescending tone.

"Too bad, _Lily-flower,_ you haven't got the monopoly on a tough life."

Lily narrowed her eyes as she was struck with a sudden realisation. "This is about Mum and Dad's deaths again, isn't it? I _did_ offer for you to live with us at Potter's Cottage, yet you still chose to live with that...walrus-looking wanker of a guy whom you've only been dating for a couple of months!"

It was Petunia's turn to flush, as Lily raised a lofty eyebrow.

"As if I would live with you!" her sister scoffed, breathing heavily. "It's unnatural, I'm telling you, brewing your ridiculous potions and turning your teacups into mice! I wouldn't—I mean, just—living with—with…freaks like you?" she laughed mirthlessly.

Ah, there was that word again. _Freak._

Lily had endured a lot of disgusting names during her education at Hogwarts, and they hadn't relented in the least even after graduating a year ago. Still, one could never get used to the cruelty of some people, and that word was like a knife in her lungs. She couldn't breathe. She was afraid to breathe, as if the sole action of inhaling and exhaling would make it true.

_Freak._

"Love, Lily. It'll make you do foolish things."

Lily raised her head to look directly into her sister's eyes, searching for the words she knew would never be uttered. _I'm sorry, Lily_ , Petunia's eyes said. More unexpectedly were the understanding and compassion in her gaze. For the first time in a while, Lily let herself admit how much she had yearned for her relationship with her sister. How much she'd missed her family and how close they had used to be. Perhaps hiding for a while would turn out to be fruitful, and she could make up for lost time with her sister.

In a daze, Lily found herself kneeling in front of Petunia, weeping on her knees for everything that had gone wrong in her life. The injustice of her parents being unable to live life until they were old and wrinkly, how unfair it was that Petunia's wings were suddenly clipped from receiving further education, when her sister forbade her from seeing each other again after their parents' funeral, the memory of Petunia as she _begged and begged and begged_ for her to use magic to bring back their parents—but she couldn't. It couldn't be done.

She herself desperately wished to bring them back into the realm of the living, but one carefully worded question to Sirius about _necromancy_ (she knew they were a dark family, which was the reason she hadn't asked James or Remus instead) resulted in her getting a lecture from four different men and a tight-lipped head of house. Not to mention being banned from the Restricted Section of course.

She cried because it was unfair that only she was gifted with magic—her sister deserved it so very much. She shed tears for losing her first wizarding friend after years of fighting for their friendship. She wept for only ever wanting to live with and marry the man she loved—but instead she was hiding, as helpless as a damsel in distress as she cried over her sister's knee.

Helpless was Lily's least favourite word in the world.

It took a couple of minutes for her hysterical crying to diminish into sobs, and then into sniffles. Petunia said nothing amidst all of her crying, but that was enough for Lily. She knew Petunia hated crying—emotions, in general, really—and letting Lily bawl into her living room carpet was a symbol of love in Petunia's language.

Looking up, Lily saw that Petunia was regarding her with remorseful eyes. Realising she was being watched, Petunia moved to stand up, grabbing Lily's arms and guiding her into the kitchen, muttering, "Make yourself useful by helping me prepare dinner. Vernon will be home soon—and I don't want him to see you."

Petunia grabbed a knife from the table and started to fiercely attack an onion.

"He'll definitely notice if you stayed in the baby's room or even the guest room. Besides, paint's still fresh and we know you have a sensitive nose."

Lily couldn't scarcely believe her ears. Was her sister allowing her stay the night?

She waited patiently as Petunia surveyed the visible rooms with a critical eye before settling on a door underneath the stairs. "You'll be alright in the cupboard? Chances of Vernon checking there are really low. You can just wave your…wand and do whatever with it, right?"

Lily couldn't help but crack a grin. Petunia _still_ didn't completely understand how magic worked despite the numerous letters she had sent from Hogwarts. Affectionately rolling her eyes, she said, "Yes, I can wave my wand and do whatever with it."

Taking her sister's hand in her own, Lily adopted a serious expression. "Thank you so much, Tuney. Thank you for helping me."

Petunia rolled her eyes and remarked, "Well, even my generosity has limitations." She waggled a finger at her sister. "First one is to never dump your future child on me, you got it?"

This time, Lily felt her grin blossom over her entire face she giggled uncontrollably. "I wouldn't dream of it, Tuney!"

"Good. That's good. Could you pass me one of the frying pans in the cupboard? It's getting a bit hard for me to bend down."

Lily obliged by leaning down to grab one of the pans. She passed it to Tuney and let her take command of the kitchen as Lily merely acted on her sister's requests.

"Well? What's the little tyke's name?" she asked while passing over a container from the fridge.

Petunia opened the container without hesitation and revealed the contents to be pieces of chicken covered in some batter. A hint of spiciness wafted over to Lily's nose. She watched as Petunia sprayed the pan with a can of oil and carefully placed the chicken on it.

"Dudley," Petunia answered softly as they watched the chicken sizzle in pan.

Lily's eyes widened in recognition. "You're naming him after grandmum's family?"

Their grandmother was the last of the Dudleys, an aristocratic family from the sixteenth century. When she was still alive, she had always mentioned that one of their relatives almost married Queen Elizabeth I. It was one of the many reasons why the Evans sisters bought many dresses and ballgowns when they were still young.

"She's one of my favourite people. I did promise her that I'd do it someday," Petunia said in a defensive tone. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then scowled when she caught Lily staring.

"Onions," she said gruffly.

Lily sprayed her sister with a bit of water from the tap then jokingly advised, "Just don't call him Duddykins, Tuney."

* * *

Sirius Black tried to sit as comfortably as possible in _his_ chair as he stared into the embers of the fireplace. Ever since he was adopted by the Potters, it had always been his seat. It was an heirloom, though it had not originally belonged to the Potters.

His favourite feature of the chair was probably its colour: pearly white without a smudge of a dark shade to it. He didn't miss the irony—with him being a Black and all. Honestly, he'd be a dint if he did, and James quite obviously didn't—the puns and jokes he'd been subjected to over the years!

Not, of course, that he cared.

He always felt like a King whenever he sat on it.

It was a fine piece of furniture that would never have been found in his old house, and he'd go through Azkaban-and-back just to bring it wherever he went (he did try, but that's another cauldron).

As he fidgeted and changed his position for the nth time that night, Sirius felt frustrated as even his trusty chair couldn't keep him from becoming sick while he listened to the Wizarding Wireless Network:

" _This government believes that the House of Potter has committed treason to its people. There will be a session tomorrow at 10 to conduct investigations and deduce plausible consequences of this despicable act"_

Feeling his anger rise, Sirius gritted his teeth as he spoke, "I hate Tom _bloody_ Gaunt."

Hearing a noise of agreement from James, Sirius turned to look expectantly at him. James' troubled expression become temporarily guarded as he rubbed his face with his hands. Turning to look at their father for guidance he asked, "Isn't this a bit too much?"

"In all honesty, yes," Charlus admitted, "But we're the only house capable to lead the alliance against his own."

"The talk is that he's planning to run as Minister soon. He's only eliminating his future obstacles," Dorea surmised. "Unfortunately, that's us."

"You handed him a bullet on a silver platter, son," Charlus added sombrely .

Sirius knew it was inappropriate with the whole dire situation and all, but he couldn't help himself from snorting and adding a comment, "More like you shot yourself in the foot. _Ow_!" he yelped as he felt a sharp pressure on his neck. Rubbing the sore area, he complained, "What did I do?"

"Not helping, Pads," James countered with his wand still in the air.

"Be thankful I love Lily," he muttered to himself. He was tasked with fetching her tomorrow after all. Perhaps he can tell her that James hexed Padfoot instead.

" _Urgent News: House of Black regrets to inform the Wizarding community that Lady Walburga Black has perished. We send our deepest condolences to the House of Black for their loss. Urgent News: House of Black–"_

Momentarily forgetting his painful neck, Sirius gaped at the wireless radio in front of him as he tried to comprehend what he had heard. _Walburga? Mo...mother? Mother was dead?_ Sirius wanted to _laugh_ and _cry_ and _laugh_ at the same time, but he couldn't find it in himself to do so.

He should be happy that the old, wicked witch was dead, right? She certainly was no mother of his.

Why wasn't he happy?

"Sirius."

He absentmindedly raised his head to look at the person who called his name. It was Dorea, James' mother— _no_ — _their_ mother who had tried to get his attention. She was looking at him with worry meant only for him. It was the worry of a mother.

He felt his chest constrict in tension as a truck of realization hit him.

His mother had never bothered to look at him like this.

"Pads?"

Sirius turned to look at James this time and found a similar expression in his face. He turned to look a little expectantly at Charlus' this time, and sighed in relief when he found the same expression.

Right, these people were his family. Not that woman. But why did it still feel…wrong?

Feeling overwhelmed with their gazes, he tried to meet their eyes as he reassured them, "I'm fine. I'm fine. Just a bit shocked is all."

Before James could even utter his response, there was a huge cracking noise beside Sirius. He spun around in shock, wand drawn, and found Kreacher standing there with Carleigh on his back. The two house-elves fought with each other—the Potter house-elf pulling on Kreacher's ears, the Black house-elf trying to simultaneously wrangle himself free from Carleigh's clutches and claw out the other's eyes. Sirius repressed the urge to egg Carleigh on.

"Carleigh?" James called out while Sirius reached down to untangle the two house-elves from each other. He cast a hasty shield charm to keep the house-elves away from assaulting each other. "What's going on?"

The Potter house-elf immediately collapsed onto her knees as she looked tearfully at James. "I'm sorry, masters! This insolent rascal entered the Manor without my permission! Carleigh is terribly sorry!"

Sirius had to bite back his grin at the description. The house-elf definitely got it from Dorea.

"It's okay, Carleigh," James consoled the teary-eyed house-elf with uncertainty. He pulled the old elf to her feet. Turning expectantly at the other house-elf, he asked, "I'm sure it was something important, right?"

Kreacher inclined his head solemnly at the Potters with grudging respect and turned to look at Sirius, contempt in his eyes. "Master Orion requests for your presence."

Sirius nodded knowingly. He had figured that his father would try to contact him in his newly widowed state. "Is it true then?"

"Yes, Master Sirius. Mistress is passing on. Mistress is dead."

* * *

Sirius found himself staring at the sleeping portrait of his mother. He stood in front of it, puzzling at the absence of remorse and happiness, as he thought of how it was typical of his father to hang his wife's portrait as soon as she died.

He found himself studying his mother's face, finding no blemishes nor signs of aged skin in the painting. She had bribed the painter to make it look as 'realistic' as possible to fully showcase her beauty—she had meant for the painter to make her young and beautiful—and she had succeeded.

However, Sirius knew that when his mother opened her eyes, he'd find what she was trying to hide all along.

Her lack of sanity. A shared trait of the Black family.

"The wicked witch is truly dead then," he mumbled numbly to himself.

"Is that a hint of sadness I detect, my dearest son?"

Sirius forced himself to blank his face of any emotion, and glared at the figure across the drawing room. It was Orion, his despised father, leaning on a wall with a glass of liquor in his hand. He looked suspiciously fine considering the fact that he had just become a widowed man.

"I am terribly sad for I was not the one who ended her," he finally responded.

Orion only smirked before beckoning him to enter his study. "Don't be impolite, my son. We're the only ones left in this house. Shouldn't we consider ourselves a…family?" he asked with a faux smile as he offered him a drink.

Sirius took a sniff off it before taking a sip of his own. It wasn't proper to turn down alcohol, after all. "So? How did it happen? Did you kill her?"

"Alas, she did it on her own," Orion said with a wave of his hand. "It was a messy one."

"Pardon?" _A messy one?_

Orion flicked his wand to summon a letter inside one of his drawers. He took a peek at it before flicking his wand again to hand it to Sirius. "She was being nosy...and thus found this. It seemed her Gift ended her life." Orion barked a laugh before sipping on his drink.

Sirius stopped himself from looking at the letter. He wouldn't give into his father's game. "You seem to find this awfully funny."

"It is, when you think about it." Orion tipped his glass in Sirius' direction. "She created a life for the Gift, yet her offspring didn't inherent hers— _ours_ , but her despised mother's instead. Fascinating, isn't it?"

It was one of the reasons why his mother officially kicked him out of the house at age fifteen. Orion and Walburga married to become the Blackest of the Blacks. It had been the joke of the Wizarding community when Sirius inherited House of Crabbe's Gift instead—Human Pheromone.

Sirius wanted to puke. "You're mad."

"And I'm a Black. Open the letter, _Singer_."

Sirius gritted his teeth to stop himself from snarling. The Singer was a derogatory term for those with the Gift like him. Perhaps only for him, since the Crabbes hadn't produced another Gifted since Irma Crabbe. He glared at the piece of parchment before opening it.

_Lord Black,_

_I thank you for your hospitality, but I shall have to part ways with this House. I have come to this conclusion and I stand by my newfound beliefs. It is my intention to commit miscegenation with Muggles to cleanse this House's filthy blood. I hope my brother will do the same. Please do not try to find me._

_R.A.B._

As soon as the words had fully processed in his mind, Sirius dropped the letter as if it were the Snake of Slytherin. He looked at it in terror and pointed his wand at Orion. "You...you...when was this given?"

He couldn't believe it. His brother...little Regulus had ran-off because he couldn't stomach this House's disgusting beliefs anymore. Pushing away the proud feelings inside him, he focused on his anger towards his father. "Answer me!"

"I'm getting old, my son," Orion said in an amused tone. "Perhaps a couple of years ago?"

With a flick of his wand, Orion's glass smashed into one of the bookshelves. "You said he was sent to Durmstrang and had to redo a couple of years!" He flicked his wand again, this time with excessive force as it flew out of his grasp. No matter—it served his intention. Orion's beloved desk was thrown against the wall.

A wave of nausea hit him like a knight bus. His little brother, little Reggie, had strayed from their family and he wasn't even there to guide him. He wasn't there for his little brother. Another realisation came to him and he struggled to stand straight. "It wasn't...It wasn't true that he was killed in a tournament then? How was he killed? Is he even dead?"

"Muggles rounded him up in some village. He refused to use Magic."

Sirius found that he couldn't find it in himself to believe his father anymore. Not after all the fibs he had been fed with since he were a baby. "You lie," he called him out, "these are all lies."

He couldn't even muster the energy to glare when Orion had the audacity to smirk at him. "It is up to you whether or not you are to believe me."

"Why are you telling me all this? Why now?" Sirius demanded.

"Ah, my son, so tactless," Orion said morosely. "I know you're more like me than what you let on. Why must you hide it?"

"I didn't come here to play your games, Orion," Sirius retorted.

"Is that true? What a shame," Orion patronized as he conjured another glass and poured himself some whiskey. "Potter's case is talk of the town, I dare-say. It has gotten me interested."

"I didn't come here to frolic with you either" Sirius said, making sure that his statement had enough bite.

Orion tipped his whiskey again in his direction before speaking, "I do have a proposal. It concerns a certain mudblood."

"No," Sirius answered without hesitation. He had promised to James that he would help Lily in any way he could, and was not about make a deal with the devil on her behalf.

"Ah-ah, Sirius, one of my lessons," Orion said, wagging a finger at him. "Never turn down a proposal until you know what it is."

"Do I look like I still care about your goddamn lessons?" Sirius asked in disbelief before pivoting around to leave the room. "I'm leaving. Have fun in hell."

"The House of Black offers the Mud... _Muggle-born_ sanctuary by being daughter to the House of Black."

Orion's statement made him stop in his tracks. He pondered the advantages of being adopted through blood and magic. It would indeed be a great help for Lily's case—this would classify her as a pure-blood in the eyes of magic and law. However, if Lily were to be put under the House banner, she would be put under Orion's lordship as well.

Finding himself staring at the House of Black's tapestry, his eyes bore holes into the burned portraits sitting side-by-side. If he concentrated enough, maybe he'd be able to see his brother's portrait. "What are you asking of me?"

"What is it you can offer me?"

 _Acceptance of the Lordship._ Sirius didn't dare say it out loud. Besides, there were too many holes if that was the agreement. "What else?"

Sirius could hear the mirth in Orion's voice. "You are not to interfere with my politics. You are to accept the Lordship when I ask you to."

He turned to face Orion again. "You won't ask me not to kill you?"

Orion laughed merrily before tipping his glass in Sirius' direction. "Silly boy, I know you won't be able to do it."

Sirius hated how his father was right.


	4. Familia Supra Omnia

_28 November 1979_

Lily Potter awoke on an air mattress in the middle of the ocean.

She could hear nothing, save for the whispers of the wind as it gently held her face in its embrace. As it receded, it skimmed her form, like water, and outlined her body in its wake.

She sighed and relaxed further, letting her arms fall by her sides. Her fingertips touched the surface below her and it promptly responded as little tendrils of water tickled her fingers, arousing her to gasp in delight.

She didn't even know it was possible to be ticklish in that area.

The sudden harsh note of a snort seemed to resonate in the waters below. She opened her eyes, her bright, emerald orbs meeting stormy, grey ones. She merely smiled, careful not to bare any teeth, for how could she not smile when she was facing a dragon— a dragon guarding an apple tree?

Lily now had to keep herself from positively grinning. Surely if _she_ were a dragon, she would've chosen something more important to guard over than a silly tree. Unless those apples could grant her wishes or happiness…

As if sensing her temptation to pluck the nearest fruit in her grasp, the stormy-eyed dragon exhaled into the waters—bringing forth currents that pushed her rapidly away, supposedly to her destination.

Where was she heading exactly?

As if expecting the question, someone whispered, "The End."

And so Lily left it at that.

She let her head drop back onto the comfortable mattress and stared into the inky, black sky. There weren't a lot of stars tonight—rain was to be expected—but the visible ones looked beautiful. It was almost as if they had been carefully painted on a canvass by a tender hand.

Recalling her Astronomy lessons, Lily tried to discern each individual one, but the dog star kept blinding her vision. It almost felt like it was anchoring her—making sure she wouldn't lose her way—as she languidly let herself be carried away by the soft ripplings on the surface of the water.

A bubble of laughter burst out of her mouth as the star blinded her once again. Figures. Even as the twinkling celestial version, he was trying to show-off, and be the centre of attention. She missed its namesake in their lives.

But she missed James even more.

She couldn't help but wish that he was named after a star as well so that she could stare at him while she floated towards nothingness. A sigh escaped her mouth before she could stop it.

The reaction of the scenery was immediate. The stars blended into the sky, leaving behind silver trails in the most unartistic way as possible. It marred its beauty, sketched with a graceless brushing technique, and the sky released yet another colour— one that sent chills down her spine.

As if tasting her fear, it fell from the sky like raindrops, followed by a huge gush of water that burned her lungs and choked her and she tried and tried and tried to breathe—but she couldn't erase the taste from her tongue.

It tasted metallic...like blood. She _loathed_ it.

Promptly, a thunderstorm came rolling in and each _boom_ and _thud_ that shook the night gnawed at her heart, threatening to pop her ears and making it that little bit harder for her to breathe.

She wished harder for the footsteps to just go away.

_Footsteps?_

"Have a safe trip, Vernon."

With a jolt, Lily sat up in her transfigured bed as she struggled to slow her breathing.

'Calm down, Evans,' she wanted to say but her mind was still reeling from the dream she had just had. But the memory was already hazy and beginning to slip away, and as the minutes went by she forgot about the hauntingly beautiful inky black sky, and its stars, and the dragon guarding the tree.

Instead, Lily remembered she was inside a cupboard.

To be exact— Tuney's cupboard in 4 Private Drive, Little Whinging.

"I know you're up, Lily!"

Determinedly ignoring her sister as she would when they were younger, she cracked her neck before casting a quick Tempus charm. As soon as the number 'six' entered her eyesight, she groaned and dropped back into her bed. "It's too early!"

"Oh stop being such a child!" the voice said right outside the tiny cupboard door. Next thing she knew, light had flooded her vision and she groaned louder as she felt sunlight graze her skin.

"Hurry up or I won't leave you any food!"

Right on cue, her stomach growled and she glared at it. Traitor. Choosing food over sleep, it really needed to sort out its priorities. Stumbling on her feet, Lily was hastily leaving the cupboard to claim the awaiting breakfast when she accidentally stubbed her toe on the corner of the wall.

"Flying Flitwick!" she cried out.

Lily saw Petunia peek out from her position and snorting at her pain. "I guess even witches like you can feel pain, eh?"

Scoffing at the comment, she hurriedly sat down beside her sister. "I'm not a bloody Flintstone!"

Petunia passed her a plate of beans. "Is that some sort of wizard joke?"

"Actually, it isn't," Lily said after uttering a quick thanks. "You do remember my letters about the Gifted, right? That there are certain families that inherit a special Gift? Well, there's a line of wizards that can turn their skin into stone. And their family name is called Flint."

"That's hideous, innit?" Petunia commented. She let out a laugh as she answered herself, "Yeah, definitely hideous."

Lily grinned at her sister before taking a piece of bread from the basket. She chewed thoughtfully before speaking, "Now that I think of it, yeah, it is. They also have hideous teeth to boot! Still, they're kind of prized in the wizarding world, Tuney."

Petunia regarded her with pity and understanding in her eyes. "Is that why you call them Flintstones? You poor thing, I'm sure nobody understood your joke." Although it happened a lot, Lily couldn't stop herself from pouting. It was true. She'd only ever gotten weird looks in response.

"Still baffles me as to why they get these Gifts, and you don't," Petunia added.

"I don't think anyone really knows," Lily said in a wistful tone. She stared at her tea, wishing it were pumpkin juice instead. "There's a child's tale about Merlin and Morgana...they apparently fought each other for centuries. When they died, a huge burst of magic blessed certain lands and families with Gifts."

Petunia snorted. "That's a child's tale?" She shook her head at the absurdity of it. "Another reason why those wizards are such freaks—they're off their trolleys, I tell you!"

"Might be," Lily mumbled to herself. She didn't bother mentioning that she was married to one of those freaks she pertained to. Besides, she was part of it all herself and there was no use denying it. The wizarding world was certainly eccentric if she was honest about it. She loved a lot of things about her world, but there were factors that she hated with all her heart.

She hated their old, derogatory ways and most of all—their old laws. Specifically, the one she was running away from.

"You had a hard time, didn't you? Fitting into their world?"

"You have no idea, Tuney," Lily tearfully confessed to her sister, "You have no idea, my kind is treated like dirt. The worst part is that it doesn't even end with my kind! Oh poor Remus… Even some of my old schoolmates act as if I've stolen magic from their families. Tuney, I almost _died_."

"Fifth Year? When you didn't write for almost a month?"

"Yes," Lily affirmed as she shed a few tears. Wiping them away, she added, "If it weren't for James and the guys, I would have been a goner." She flinched at the way Petunia dropped her cutlery on her plate.

"Why did you stay then? Why didn't you leave?" Petunia asked, and Lily couldn't stop her shoulders from shaking further at Petunia's accusations. She heard her sister sigh. "I'm sorry. I...You left me, Lily. Then mum and dad followed after that hideous accident."

Shaking her head, Lily allowed her to continue. "No, you're right." She swiped at her tears as she willed them to go away. "You're right and I made my decision to stay. I don't think I could've left, Tuney. It's Magic—it's _me._ "

Petunia seemed to accept her answer as they ate together in silence. Lily hated the silence. Seven years of being in the same school with the Marauders made that discomfort of hers a little less noticeable. Suddenly, Petunia pushed herself away from the table and Lily jumped out of her thoughts with a jolt.

"I'm going out. I'll be heading to the grocer's for a bit of–"

"No, let me buy it," Lily cut her off by placing both their plates in the sink with a flick of her wand. "You're pregnant, Tuney. Let me help."

She wanted a breather anyway. A good walk would remove her gloomy thoughts.

"If you insist," Petunia simply acquiesced, not even showing any signs of acknowledgment on the magic she had committed. Passing her a piece of paper, she added, "Give me the receipt so I can pay you later."

"Sure, Tuney," Lily said, grinning to herself. Before her sister could make her promise anything else, she hurriedly grabbed her cloak and headed straight for the door.

"Lily?" she heard Petunia call out.

With a bit of hesitation, Lily paused and looked at her sister. "Yeah?"

"The Potter boy's Gift. I never asked you what it was?"

Although she was out of her sister's vision, she shook her head and answered, "He's an Adopter, Tuney. He can Borrow Gifts."

* * *

Charlus Potter had never envisioned a day where he would willingly stash a huge amount of money and ask his son to go into hiding. Yet here he was doing exactly what he was afraid of doing...with _two_ of his sons this time around.

"You're getting all of this information, James?"

James continued to sift through the huge pile of Muggle money on his desk as he answered. "Yeah, dad. Is this really necessary?" He watched as James paused to look at him with uncertainty and gestured at the money on the table. "I don't think things will get worse than this."

Feeling a bit lost himself, he rubbed a hand across his face. He had never felt this lost in his entire life. Perhaps when his father had died or the time when he had been thinking of ways to ask Dorea and her house for her hand in marriage...and never had he been as lost as when he had descended into fatherhood.

As he drank in the sight of his sons, who were hovering beside the table and their mother just behind them, silently guiding them over the plan, he reckoned these people were the reason that he never felt he had lost his way in life as a father.

When the two boys— _men_ , he reluctantly corrected himself, were raised at the ends of the political spectrum, it baffled the wizarding community on how these two ended up as friends and subsequently, as brothers. It was most certainly puzzling when he woke up and found an additional head sitting at his table.

" _Hey, dad. Sirius can stay here, yeah?"_

 _Charlus was sure that this Sirius was a Black, having found the trademark black hair, pale skin, and grey eyes in this young boy, but as he had looked to Dorea for guidance_ — _she had given him a subtle nod_ — _he had thrown away all of the political repercussions swimming in his mind as he answered, "Yes, of course."_

" _Carleigh makes the best scalloped potatoes in the entire world. She'd be devastated if you didn't try them. The chicken is wonderful as well." With amusement, Charlus watched Dorea subtly move plates of dishes in the poor boy's direction. He chuckled when frightened grey eyes met sharp grey eyes, and the former ended up giving a meek, helpless nod instead._

" _Mum, you're frightening him!" James protested._

" _Come on, James, your mother has always wanted another son." He turned to the sleek raven-haired boy and spoke with faux sternness, "And you, young man, should prepare for dessert. We're sick of treacle tart, but we don't have the heart to say no to James," he finished with a wink._

_Startled grey eyes met his own hazel ones before Sirius dashed off the room. Confusion marred his face as he tried to reassess what he had just done. "Did I do something wrong?"_

" _You were too nice, dad," James chided before muttering an apology as he left to look for Sirius._

_That same night, Dorea informed him that Walburga had officially disowned Sirius._

"Dad?"

Jolted out of his thoughts, he found himself meeting Sirius' concerned grey eyes. He smiled sheepishly and said, "By Godric! I am getting old, aren't I?"

"You look absolutely divine, father. Nothing to worry about," James uttered in the poshest accent he could muster.

"Young boy, surely I do not sound like that!" Charlus chided lightheartedly. Ever since James had entered Hogwarts, he had learnt that not everyone spoke like his parents. It was a shocker when his little son arrived home one summer, trying to speak like a _delightful banshee_ —as what Dorea called him when James tried to speak like a fool with his mouth full.

"And of course, it's necessary. Both of you know that politics is bloody when they deem it to be. I want both of my sons out of harm's way." He watched them giving each other a look before agreeing to his sentiments.

"Alright," James conceded. "We'll follow your plan: hide in one of the summer houses, bring Lily, and wait for your update."

"Where's that damned old litigator?" Sirius asked.

Charlus let out a bark of a laugh. "That 'damned old' litigator, who is going to save your brother's _arse_." He paused to relish the various reactions he had gotten. A grin from James, a snicker from Sirius, and an affectionate eye-roll from Dorea and then he continued, "will be waiting at _Le Pur._ "

"Augusta's going to be there in a while," Dorea informed the men around her. "We'll take our leave now." She kissed both of her sons on both cheeks with a reminder, "Be good."

Grinning, he waited for Dorea to reach his side. Dorea Potter née Black, his wonderful wife. Everyone claimed _he_ was the lucky one in their relationship. After a handful of decades spent as her other half, he could proudly say that it was true.

_Dorea Potter, best of wives and best of women._

"They're our sons, Dorea. They're always good," Charlus assured her with a wink before Disapparating them out of the room.

* * *

Looking at the list with unconcealed distaste, Lily muttered to herself as she pushed the shopping trolley under her grasp. "Are they bloody drunkards or something? These are all expensive too."

She continued to proceed towards the liquor section when she suddenly halted in her steps. Petunia was pregnant. Why was she drinking then?

Perhaps they were for Vernon. He wasn't abusive, was he?

"Godric," she muttered to herself, absentmindedly grabbing the bottles of liquor. "I'm overthinking this. They could be œnophiles for all I care." She grabbed two more bottles indicated at the bottom of the list. Apart from her usual senseless worrying over Tuney, idling between the aisles was a nice way of forgetting things, though she knew she had overstayed at her sister's.

As she made her way to the checkout, she passed by the poultry section and moved quickly past it as soon as the potent smell drifted into her nose. Cursing her extremely sensitive sense of smell, she muttered, "I guess the meat isn't fresh," and quickly covered her mouth as she gagged further. She willed herself to take several deep breaths before regaining her composure.

After paying for her goods, she hid in an alleyway and shrunk the bags to fit inside her pocket. It wasn't necessary, but she had always made it a point to show her sister some magic after reaching the legal age. Not that using underage magic stopped her, but that's another cauldron. Once the shrunken bags were tucked inside her pocket, she strode forward and proceeded to walk to Petunia's house.

"I'm gaining a lot of weight," she observed and patted her stomach for a good measure. "Guess I should use this opportunity then." She took slow steps and bigger steps as if to exercise.

"I have to ask James what he does to stay in shape. He's very six pack...y," she muttered to herself then blushed when she remembered the night before. It definitely wasn't their first, yet it was the most intimate one they'd had.

"Lily Potter," she said a bit louder this time. "Potter!" She laughed herself silly thinking back on how she hated girls who became all giggly after getting their boyfriends.

"You're a hypocrite, Evans." She pursed her lips before muttering, " _Potter_ " again and again as she skipped, seemingly forgetting her lunges in order to arrive faster at Tuney's house. Lily had a lot to tell her sister.

Lily poised to knock on the door— _always_ six knocks—when she felt something poking her back.

"Lily Evans… _Potter_ ," the voice said as if wanting to spit on it, "The Ministry demands your presence. Any resistance will be immediately met by a grievous response."

* * *

" _Urgent news: There has been an attack in Hogsmeade just a few minutes ago. Attack was concentrated in well-known establishments such as Le Pur, Three Broomsticks. Government has yet to classify if it was a terrorist attack. Students from Hogwarts were advised to be sent home."_

" _Urgent news: No students casualties reported. Just in! Oh,_ Merlin's beard! _...apologies. Among casualties are Lady Dowager Augusta Longbottom, Lord Charlus Potter, Lady Dorea Potter_ _–_ _"_

James Potter froze in his seat as he tried to take in what he had just heard. Barely aware of Sirius' cries and ramblings, he sat there frozen as he tried to think of something plausible aside from the gobshite he had just heard.

It was just a prank by Sirius, right? One gone way too much?

"No, no, no, no, _no,_ " Sirius muttered beside him that were like stabs to his heart. Why was Sirius acting like this? This was only a joke, right? Some big, cosmic joke and Sirius had somehow enlisted the reporter's, parents', and even scary auntie Augusta's aid.

No matter how hard he tried to convince himself, he knew that Sirius would _never_ go this far.

Sirius was openly wailing now and James, for the first time, wanted Sirius to just go away. Maybe if he closed his ears, he wouldn't hear Sirius' cries? If he did, it wouldn't be true, right?

_Right?_

"No, not them! James!" Sirius was in front of him now, piercing him with anguished grey eyes. This was different from the Sirius the world has accustomed to, but a slightly familiar sight to James. The last time he had seen him like this was when Arcturus - one of his only allies in the Black family - suddenly died.

James felt the world spinning around him and it took him a few moments to realize that his brother was shaking him by the shoulders. "This is a joke, right?" James could only look at helplessly before encasing Sirius in a hug. Although Charlus and Dorea were his blood parents, he knew, deep in his heart, that Sirius ended up loving, cherishing, and adoring them just as much as he did.

"We're going to find out what happened," James tried to comfort his brother. Even to his own ears, he could hear how lifeless it sounded. Suddenly, Sirius ripped himself from his arms.

"I'm going to kill them, James! Whoever did this, I'm going to kill them!"

James knew he had to stop Sirius from getting any ideas, but he didn't have the energy to do so. He knew it was wrong, but he wanted to kill the ones who had caused their deaths. Mum and Dad... _Merlin,_ please, this must be a joke, right? A cruel prank? Surely no one hated him that much. Anything was better than this.

"No one's going to kill anyone."

Feeling thankful for another presence to stop Sirius, he turned slowly to face Frank, who looked like he was in Auror mode with his gear on. "Their...bodies have been dispatched to Saint Mungo's. I'll escort both of you there."

He saw a blur pass him. Sirius was clamping on Frank's shoulders this time, desperately shaking them, as he pleaded, "Please tell me they're not dead. _Please,_ Frank. I'm begging you."

It broke James' heart when Frank; the one they had always looked up to while they were still students merely closed his eyes and grabbed both of them by the shoulders to Apparate them to Saint Mungo's.

As soon as they landed, James fell to his knees, absentmindedly noting that the feeling of nothingness from Apparition was still there, and heaved the breakfast he had this morning. The last one he had with his parents. That's when his tears started to fall. He heaved further as he tried to empty the contents of his stomach, willing for it to take the sadness away.

"Oh, James."

He gripped harder on his knees as Alice rubbed circles on his back.

He wished Lily were here instead.

"Would you like to see them?" she asked.

"Where's Pads?" James asked instead of answering. He wanted to see them, but he didn't know if he was ready. Would he ever be ready?

"Frank brought him inside for less exposure. There's a couple of journalists waiting around the corner." Alice cast a Scourgify on his clothes and one on the ground. "I'm sorry, Jamie."

James refused to look at her, adamant on not accepting it yet. _Not yet._

"We have to go now."

* * *

As soon as they entered the room, they were met by a wave of Padfoot's whimpers. James found Sirius' Animagus form sitting in one corner, covering its nose with its paws as it continued to whimper as if in terrible pain. For a second, he yearned to transform into his Animagus form as well in order to escape, but he needed to speak in order to get answers.

James forced himself to walk towards the bed where his parents were laid beside each other. They looked like they were merely sleeping, a familiar sight for a kid who always snuck into his parents' room. He crept towards their bed as if he were to nick a piece of sweet from Mum's bedside table, enact a prank against Dad, or simply slide between them because he couldn't sleep.

This time it was different. No matter how loud he proceeded, they wouldn't wake. They wouldn't wake because they were dead.

"How did it…" he found himself unable to continue as he stared at Charlus and Dorea's faces. The Healers must have fixed them up and given them temporary glamours because he could barely see any difference since the last time he saw them. There weren't any signs of suffering from an explosion.

"Happen?" Alice supplied for him. She transfigured three chairs for them to sit on. Sirius ignored the offer by staying in his dog form. "The Ministry has deemed their cases to be confidential so I don't know much of the details...or if they even _have_ any. There were multiple areas of explosions. Frank and I aren't sure if this was intentional or not."

"Of course it is," Sirius spoke, finally returning to his body.

"Sirius, there aren't any clues pertaining to that yet," Alice reminded him lightly.

"It's too much of a coincidence! Explosions happening a few hours before a Wizengamot session?" Sirius pointed out.

"I know it might be, Sirius, but these are just all speculations. I wouldn't want to accuse anyone without having any evidence against them," Alice said.

"If this could happen to the Potters, I'm certain they'll be throwing people in Azkaban without a trial next!"

Before Sirius could continue with his exclamations, the door opened to reveal a grey-haired woman wearing a huge white coat with a tiny monocle on her face. It was Amelia Bones, a long-time friend of his mother. Apart from being a famous Auror, she was also a Healer for special cases. This was a common ground for the family having the Gift of Healing. James figured if someone had the ability to erase their wounds and scars in a short matter of time, it must've been someone with the Gift.

"James, Sirius, Alice," she greeted somberly. "Alice, dear, I think it would be best if you visit Frank. He needs you."

Alice looked at them apologetically and James felt guilt rush through him. He had been holding Alice here, not even thinking about how Frank was faring.

"I'll check up on both of you later," Alice muttered before leaving the room.

"Was it painful?" he finally asked. The silence was deafening.

Amelia looked at them in uncertainty, her gaze on Sirius lingering a little longer. She removed her lens to rub her eyes and finally answered them, "No, it wasn't. The blast ended them right on the spot. Dorea's core showed that she wasn't even able to absorb it, nor was Augusta able to utilize her Gift."

Sirius let out an anguished cry, but James was glad it hadn't been painful for them at least. "Are their cores still active?"

"Yes," Amelia said, "For fifteen minutes. I have to check on the other patients. I'll leave you to it." She rose slowly as if wanting to say something else. "I…"

"Would you like me to give you one as well? I'm sure they would have wanted to," he offered.

"That...I...I'd be honoured," she managed to answer with a quivering voice. James averted his gaze to give her some respect. "I do have to check on the other patients. I'll see both of you later."

Sirius, stuck in a daze, merely nodded in response, while James forced himself to croak out a "Thank you."

"Both of you take care. They...wanted both of you safe." She stood up, kissed both of their cheeks, and left them to their mourning.

James wanted to do nothing besides moping from the loss of his parents, but he knew that he had to harvest their Gifts before the time limit was up.

Acquiring Gifts from the dead was a sacred routine for a Gifted family. Gifts were a manifestation of a family's magical prowess, more so than the usual magic itself. And so from the first of their families, up until now, members of the House (it was ideal that the Heir commit the action) harvest the Gift swirling along with the dead's magical cores.

It was a tedious task, emotional even, for the harvester to pull the Gift from their fallen one for the last time. The harvester has to exert his focus and energy into the being of the person. Sometimes, the harvester becomes stuck in the persona of the dead, and other times, the harvester cannot simply do it.

However, it was much easier if the harvester and the dead have the same Gift, for it made the connection much easier than normal. Not easy, just easier than the usual struggle.

Luckily for James, their family was blessed by Lady Magic to make this task much simpler. The Potters were the Borrowers, able to manipulate the Gift as if it were their own—even for a short period of time.

"Will you let me keep one of their stones?"

A voice broke him out of his thoughts. Despite the situation, James had to roll his eyes at Sirius' ridiculousness.

If the harvesting of stones were sacred, even more for the act of receiving stones. Aside from keeping one stone for the family records, a couple of stones were usually handed out to family members and loved ones. With that being said, Sirius was part of their family, blood be damned.

"Of course, Pads. We wouldn't want mum to haunt us forever, right?" They shared a quiet laugh before turning sombre again.

Not wanting to waste more time, James stood up and laid a hand on Charlus' stomach. Effortlessly, a familiar stone, not bigger than a galleon, materialized in his other hand. Without looking at it, he handed Sirius the stone for his safekeeping.

As he repeated the process for a couple more times, he thought of how warm the stones felt in his hand. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was unusual. He had practice with Borrowing his father's Gift as soon as his own materialized. The stone was always a mixture of transparent and opaque white stones, unsmooth and cold to the touch. _Every_ stone was cold to his touch.

How come it was warm this time? Was this his father's way of saying he's still here?

Crushing any emotional thoughts, he moved to head beside his mother in order to repeat the same action. As soon as he felt the warm, smooth stone in his other hand, he passed it to Sirius without a second thought.

It was warm as well. Several stones appeared in his hand again and soon he understood the feeling it emitted. The stones felt like the hearth...the symbol of home. A sob escaped from his mouth and he willed himself to think straight. He might accidentally absorb these stones in a blink and it won't be alright if Dorea's core died already.

He laid his mum's inky, black stones beside his dad's white ones on the bedside table before doing a mental count on the recipients: a pair to be kept in the family collection, a pair for him and Lily, a pair for Sirius, a pair for Amelia, and the last pair for Carleigh.

"Carleigh," James called out softly for the house-elf. An audible pop followed by an anguished cry was immediately heard. "I'm sorry for not calling you immediately, Carleigh." He reached down to hand her the stones. His eyes met wide, thankful hazel orbs and James forced himself to hold his tears. Here was Carleigh, the Potter house-elf who raised his father to be the man he was today.

"Will you stay and watch?" he asked.

After receiving a shaky nod, he fixed his robes and gave a nod to Sirius. He returned to Charlus' side while Sirius and Carleigh stayed beside Dorea's. Both men gingerly placed the warm stones on their parents' foreheads—Dorea's stone on Charlus' forehead, Charlus' stone on Dorea's forehead—and kissed both of their cheeks.

"Familia Supra Omnia," James whispered and closed his eyes as Sirius and Carleigh echoed Dorea's favoured words.

"We'll be good, mum...like father. We will," he promised out loud, receiving a shaky grin and a loud sniffling in response.

"I'm going to offer help to Frank. It might take him a while," James informed both of them. It was the least he could for bringing Augusta into this mess. As soon as he moved to step out of the room, Frank came barging in with the most distressed look James has ever seen on the distinguished Auror's face.

"Frank, I was just about to–"

"James, they have Lily! She's being questioned right now."


	5. Black Sanctuary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Smthnborrowediamblue and AshenMoon42 for beta reading this chapter! Show them some love! Stay safe. x

_28 November 1979_

"Blessed by the presence of Heir James Potter."

Tom's voice rang through the room the moment his feet landed on the ground. Shaking off the after-effects of Apparition, he moved to speak when the Undersecretary addressed him.

"How art thou? Please sit, this body is currently investigating an important matter."

In an attempt to reign his emotions, he forced himself not to look at the lone figure sitting at the dock and directed his ire at the direction of the center podium, the glare visible in his hazel eyes. "Why wasn't the House of Potter informed of this?"

Tom tilted his head and sent him a confused, innocent look that he swore could've fooled no one. "The Ministry did, my Lord. It is, however, plausible that Lord Potter and Lady Potter's untimely demise halted the passing of information."

The reaction of the Wizengamot members hit James like a tidal wave, and he struggled to stay afloat as the flurry of muttering and shouting threatened to engulf him.

" _Lord Potter is truly dead! Merlin, help us!"_

" _Good riddance, he was the only black sheep in this court."_

" _The blood-traitor is dead!"_

" _I pity Dorea Black. She was saddled with that Potter boy until the end."_

" _The Alliance has fallen!"_

His chest tightened as he struggled to breathe, feeling his pulse rise with every second. Black dots danced in his vision as he gasped for air, overwhelmed with the feeling of wanting to _scream, cry, and accuse_ all of them of killing his parents; but one look at Sirius' forlorn face sitting in the third-tier forced him to keep all of it in.

Clasping his hands together to keep the tremors at bay, he cursed himself for ignoring Frank's warnings and barging in here without a plan. A nagging feeling pounded his head as his eyes swept the room, looking for possible allies as Tom continued his conversation with Minister Minchum. There was Diggory, hoping he could still rely on Augusta's family; Abbott, ever the reliable one sought; Bones—his mum was dear to their family as well; Crouch, who was a git but quite fair...

Not many, then.

But the feeling grew stronger and he knew he was missing someone important—

"Where...where's the Chief Warlock?" he asked hesitatingly.

Minchum regarded him with wide eyes before waving towards Tom's direction.

"The Minister ruled our Chief Warlock's participation in this session," Tom answered him as James continued to bore holes into the Minister's head, though the man refused to meet his stare. "Under the Principle of Conflict of Interest, of course. The Minister wisely appointed his Undersecretary to sort out this mess."

" _Wisely?"_ James gritted out. "Stop this investigation now! There should be a ligator present for Lily _Potter_!"

"While _Albus_ may insist that, it is certainly not warranted for...the _Muggle-born_ to have a litigator."

"Why are you focusing on this?" James demanded, fully aware that he was losing all the composure he mustered not so long ago. Diplomacy was never his strongest suit.

_("Oh James, you're going to regret this one day. You should take your lessons more seriously."_

" _But I'll always have you, Mum!")_

He shook his head, acting as if that sole action could drive the memories away. Now was not the time to remember that he was an orphan. Not now...

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Is it not suspicious that _three_ prominent members of our society have suddenly perished? Have you considered the possibility of an enemy capable of bringing our society down? There are more urgent issues to focus on, Undersecretary Gaunt! Why are you focusing on a frivolous one?"

Tom merely raised an eyebrow. "Are you insinuating something, _Lord_ Potter?"

Before the accusing words could leave his mouth, someone grabbed him by the elbow. It was Frank, who was still posing as an Auror in the Wizengamot session. "James—Merlin, _please,_ don't do anything drastic. We'll fix this. No one will have our backs if something goes wrong."

James stepped away from Frank's grip, and took a handful of breaths. Everyone's gaze was on him now and they were watching him like he was some uncommon free elf.

Maybe he was in some way.

_("Patience, son. It's one big chess board."_

" _Oh Lord Yaxley, you must be older than a tortoise! We must sacrifice you to achieve our goals!"_

" _Young man, I do not sound like that!")_

Taking a deep breath, James gave Tom the most pretentious smile he could muster. "Of course not, _Tom._ I'm merely concerned with your priorities. They have always been," he paused and glanced at his curious audience, "rather questionable."

James tipped an invisible hat before Frank brought him to his seat—the Potter seat. The switch in him flicked and the wrongness of it all suffocated him to the point that the mask he put on crumpled. _It wasn't right._ He shouldn't be here. This was his father's seat. He should be with Sirius and the heirs at the third-tier. He should be laughing with Padfoot and talk how stupid they looked in their hideous plum robes.

Desperate to distract himself, he let his gaze roam and flinched, like being drenched in ice-cold water, when it landed on the auburn-haired woman staring at him with wide pleading eyes.

Lily...his _wife_...the skin he had just traced yesterday were marred with cuts. Her hair-oh Merlin, the tips of her hair singed. He wanted to desperately close his eyes, to shield himself from what they have done to her. But as he stared at her sunken cheeks and pale colour, he kept his gaze at her.

_This was his fault._

He would do anything...accept _anything_ just to keep her alive.

Merlin, why didn't they come up with a better plan? Why in the name of Merlin did they come without a plan now?

"Court Scribe, please acknowledge Heir Potter's presence as an observer."

He felt Sirius and Frank's piercing stares at him and he clenched his fists, desperately trying to reign his temper. He looked helplessly at Lily, straight into her eyes, and continued to ignore her mouthed apologies.

James shook his head and mouthed, "It's not your fault."

He hated himself when more tears poured out of her emerald orbs.

"Let us resume our session," Gaunt said, pounding his gavel. "List of speakers indicates Lord Yaxley as the last speaker in this session. Please take the floor."

"Minister of Magic, Noble and Honourable Members of Wizengamot, Undersecretary, Department Heads," Yaxley began and James refused to look at the speaker, opting to keep his eyes on Lily.

"Stop blaming yourself," he mouthed to her. _"Please."_

"House Yaxley would like to thank everyone, especially Minister Minchum and Undersecretary Gaunt for immediately tackling this troubling issue we are currently facing..." Yaxley trailed off without a sign of continuing.

Multiple heads whipped towards the weathered wizard's direction and James thought that Yaxley should've left his position long ago. The aged Lord could no longer solve the current issues of the Wizarding World, as he was stuck in the old ways. Most of the Lords were, if James were to be frank.

"We have continuously surpassed everything _and_ everyone. It truly amazes this Lord that we have progressed at a speed much faster than our neighbours. Like other Houses, the House of Yaxley witnessed events transpiring from the fortunate to the unfortunate...and like every proud House in this country, the House of Yaxley is saddened that its peers and people often forget how our land is blessed by the Magics of Merlin and Morgana Le Fay."

James carefully shook his head, fully intent on maintaining their eye contact, as the emerald eyes across him conveyed feelings of apologies and guilt.

It wasn't her fault.

It was his and his alone.

He should've known better.

"Yet we seem ungrateful for the Gifts, for we keep on sullying our blessed bloods. The threats we have are not dark lords, but something more tangible…we have wicked wizards and witches yearning to be included in our noble and honourable bloodlines that they do everything…with their small, weak, and _filthy_ hands.

"What this body must do is save one of its kin. We must save the House of Potter from losing its unique Gift. We must save it from filth! House of Yaxley wants the infiltrator to be thrown in Azkaban!"

James tore his gaze from Lily's eyes to stare in disbelief at Yaxley. He wanted to laugh at the absurdness of the words pouring out of his _filthy_ mouth. So he did. He was laughing like a maniac now, feeling everyone's uncomfortable stares on him.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" He was standing now, looking at Yaxley with an easy smile. "You're absolutely clueless, aren't you? I'm not surprised."

The bang of the gavel echoed in the room and it rang in James' ears, severing the thin thread holding his temper. "This is my fault! Punish _me_! Not her! She did absolutely _nothing_ wrong!" James yelled against the Silencing Charm enacted in his area. Frustrated, he positioned himself to jump above the wooden barrier, but Frank held him back as his protests grew desperate. "She's innocent, you bastard!"

" _Give her the Kiss!"_

" _Save House of Potter! Disgusting for the mudblood to use love potion on him! That's treason!"_

" _Let her rot in Azkaban!"_

"No, no, no," James muttered, looking frantically at his surroundings. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Were they all mad? _"Stop it!"_

James tried to maneuver his way out of Frank's desperate grip and moved to fish out the wand inside his pockets.

"Your wand is with me, James," Frank pleaded with him. "Pull yourself together."

"Decorum!" Tom exclaimed using a Sonorus. James shrugged Frank's grip as he begrudgingly sat down, feeling betrayed by the second.

"Decorum in the court! We have exhausted our speakers list." Tom striked using his gavel and the charm around James popped like a bubble. "Are there any motions?"

Nott raised his wand in the air. "Motion to move this body into votation by raising of wands."

"Motion is acknowledged. Are there any other motions?"

Diggory raised his wand this time. "Motion to have a fifteen-minute unmoderated caucus for the purpose of lobbying."

Many members raised their nose at the notion of wasting more time. James felt his insides stir. He clenched his hands as he willed himself to think. _What to do, what to do..._

Greengrass raised his wand. "Motion to have a ten-minute unmoderated caucus before moving into votation."

Right there, James knew that Greengrass' motion was the one that was going to be chosen. Once the votes were settled, he marched to the other end as he tried his best not to succumb into panic.

As soon as he reached his destination, he pleaded to Amos' grief stricken face, "Lord Diggory, please tell me there's hope."

* * *

Sirius Black turned his nose up at the bright plum colour of the Wizengamot robes. He thought of them hideous and unflattering as he observed them from where he was seated. He reckoned they look like aged pretentious peacocks flocking around in groups he had no interest to join.

"Talking about peacocks," Sirius muttered when he saw a long, blond-haired young man strutting in his direction.

The Malfoy heir, who sat a couple of rows away from him, wore black robes like himself. Lucius looked like a man on a mission, completely determined on elevating his personal ambitions. In order to avoid being stuck in a conversation with _bloody_ Malfoy, he quickly proceeded down the steps to look for his father.

And so Sirius found himself standing in front of Orion, who donned his own set of those hideous plum robes. There was something troubling about the aura of his father...there was something unnatural about his face that made Sirius pause to ponder what it exactly was.

Ah, right: his father was _smiling_.

He didn't know that a person could be exhilarated at this hour, but apparently, Orion could be. His father must be happy because Sirius was finally admitting defeat to him.

Sirius fished out his wand and enacted a _Concealment Charm_ around them. "You know what I'm here for, _father_. Do it," he commanded.

Orion merely smiled at him. It was that patronising smile he always gave when he wanted to indoctrinate Sirius. "What is it, my son? What shall I do for you?" he asked, his voice dripping with mock concern that sickened Sirius and added the final touch to his revolting act of 'caring father'.

Sirius bit his tongue and refused to answer. He knew his father. Like most of the Black men before him, Orion had a penchant for theatricals.

"I'm glad you finally showed up in Wizengamot. Ah, _my son_ , finally taking his Lordship duties seriously."

" _Four minutes!"_

Panic gripped his insides and Sirius couldn't take it any longer. Patience was never his strongest suit. He pointed his wand against Orion. "Stop playing, old man! You're the one who offered it!"

Orion twirled the wand in his hand and gave a dramatic sigh as he stared at the wall portrait positioned between them. Sirius glanced at the portrait and flinched at the knowing gaze of a young lady. She gave him a sympathising smile as she offered him a bouquet of striped-pink flowers―they were lilies, he was sure of it.

Despite himself, he smiled and glanced at the golden plaque of her frame. _Elpis._

"Have I ever told you that you are too much like my father? Ah, Arcturus, he was good, but _not_ good enough."

Sirius merely forced himself to glare in response, refusing to play the game his father wanted. _He would never play…_

" _Three minutes!"_

"Do it," Orion drawled, looking uninterested at the occupants of the room. "Do an Unbreakable Vow that you will take the Lordship when I deem you to, and that you are never to interfere with my politics."

Without missing a beat, Sirius positioned his wand in front of his mouth and uttered his first Vow, "I, Sirius Orion Black, do solemnly swear on my magic that I am to take House of Black's Lordship when deemed to be, and that I, Sirius Orion Black, am never to interfere with Orion Acturus Black's politics."

"Do a vow that you're going to do it!" he demanded, shaking his head as he felt his magic tear down the charm he enacted.

" _Two minutes!"_

"I don't want to waste my magic on that...filthy friend of yours."

Sirius snarled and pointed his wand at Orion's face once more. For Merlin's sake, he should've known to ask a Vow first!

"Hello, Heir Potter―oh, apologies, should I say Lord Potter? Lovely day, isn't it?

Sirius hastily looked at their direction, and took quick strides to reach them quickly.

"James, I need to talk to you," Sirius breathed out.

"This will save Lily's life, right?" James asked in return.

Sirius could easily spot the blooming hope in James' eyes. His eyes reminded him too much of that young witch in the portrait who wanted to give him lilies.

There was too much hope...too much faith that it was suffocating him. He could only nod in response.

"Thank you, brother."

"Don't...don't thank me yet," Sirius managed to say.

"What's Orion going to do?" Amos asked.

" _Thirty seconds! Please return to your seats."_

"Adoption," Sirius muttered, averting his gaze away from James' reaction. He knew he wasn't really fixing things. He wanted to avoid their disappointed and enraged expressions.

" _Sirius."_

He flinched, feeling like a sharp knife had gone through his heart.

"Sirius, _what_ did you promise him?"

" _Twenty seconds!"_

"Would you like me to offer as well?" Amos asked. "I know they don't see my House that much since―"

"Amos, thank you for your offer," James cut him off quickly. "We can't afford to bring another House to our problems."

"It has become our problem! Augusta was entangled in their mess!"

"And that's my fault already, Lord Diggory. I will make sure to answer for some reparations."

"We should return to our seats," Sirius said before either man could formulate a response. He gave them nods and turned swiftly. "Let's hope everything goes as planned."

" _Sirius!"_

He took bigger steps, determined to not think of anything else―his parents, the wicked witch, his future with the House―but Lily's safety. He ignored the other Heirs and family members seated beside him as he tried to locate Orion's head. There he was, sitting like a patient patron of a theatre as the people around him rushed to locate their designated seats.

"Fuck, I wasn't able to have a final word with Orion," he mumbled as he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"We are now back in formal session." With his eyes closed, Gaunt's gavel felt like a thunderous clap in his being. "Before we proceed to votation, are there any other motions?"

Sirius bore holes on the back of Orion's head, willing his bastard of a father to take up the presented opportunity. He gripped the wooden bannister before him as he tried not to succumb into panic. "Black men have a penchant for the theatrics," he mumbled as he stared at James' standing figure, completely in agitation to his father's performance.

"Since there are no more―"

As graceful as ever, Orion thrusted his wand up in the air. Sirius almost cried in relief.

They have a chance to save Lily.

"Undersecretary Gaunt," Orion spoke when he was acknowledged, "Pardon my intrusions. I do have a possible solution that will...maximize the gains that we are to receive after this; if it is deemed admissible by fellow noble and honourable members, of course."

Sirius rolled his eyes at Orion's faux-humble tone. It was sickening to see these wizards and witches lap up his words like a thirsty cerberus.

"Please do so, Lord Black."

Orion stood up this time, slowly as if he owned all the time in the world. His power seemed tangible that it bundled all of them in his grip. No matter how many people claimed that Arcturus was a better man than his father was, Sirius had to admit that his father was in the works of becoming a master in this arena—a _tirer les ficelles_ , as the Old Blacks used to spout with that _Toujours Pur_ non-sense.

"Fellow noble and honourable members," Orion greeted everyone and gave solemn nods to him and James. "The House of Black is one of the oldest families in this blessed land. Reiterating Lord Yaxley's statement, this house is a witness of everything that has happened—events that continue to make us proud to be part of this noble land...and events that...brings sorrow whenever it is pondered upon."

_"Sorrow?"_ Sirius scoffed.

"Now is not the time to further divide this nation," Orion continued after a beat. "House of Black believes that there may be another solution to this... _tragedy_. A solution that may save a bright witch...and result in a welcome addition to the House of Black."

Orion looked amused at the array of attention he was receiving. Gasps were heard across the tiers, while some looked out in confusion. "A Magical Adoption, if you must call it. The House of Black offers sanctuary to the brilliant Lily Evans Potter."

Sirius could taste the anticipation in the air now.

_"A...Magical Adoption? Surely not–"_

_"It hasn't been done in centuries!"_

_"Oh Good Merlin, I know why you've kept me alive!"_

_"Imagine sharing pure blood with a mudblood..."_

_"Oh shush, House of Black needs another progeny! Perhaps the Heir and that girl can procreate."  
_

Sirius tuned them out as he focused his attention on Gaunt. If this were any other day, he would have relished the Undersecretary's baffled look. But they needed him to speak, to acknowledge Orion's proposition.

The Minister moved closer to Gaunt and Sirius watched as the expressions on Gaunt's face were visible for once. There was annoyance, uncertainty, and now, a grimace.

"That is truly a...generous offer from the House of Black," Gaunt managed to say after Minchum stepped away and retreated to his seat. "As pointed out by the Minister, the court has no say in this matter, Lord Black, as it is a personal issue under the House of Black. You may enact it when you deem it so."

"Of course, Undersecretary Gaunt. I, for one, think that now would be a splendid time, don't you think so?"

If Sirius tasted the anticipation a while ago, he could feel it now like a rough fleece cocooning his body. Hell, even _he_ wanted to see how it was done. Orion had done his best to withhold any information about the Old Magics, even from his Heir.

"Kreacher!"

With a pop, Kreacher appeared, looking worse after Walburga's demise. It was hard not to pity the house-elf. "Yes, Master?"

"Fetch the necessary items for the ritual. The Wizengamot will be waiting."

Sirius knew there was an underlying threat: 'Make it fast or there will be consequences'. In no more than a few seconds later, Kreacher returned with a bowl and a dagger made of inky, black stones said to be made of Gifts from the oldest of the Blacks.

Before his passing, Arcturus had mentioned the reason why magical adoptions were almost never done—adopted wizards and witches were not only adopted by blood, but through magic as well. In a handful of times, the magic rejected the ritual resulting in the killing of the adopted; at times, even the adoptee as well.

The Blacks had only one successful adoption...which happened over five centuries ago.

Sirius prayed to Merlin and Morgana that another one would happen today.

Orion walked down the aisle and stood beside Lily, whose eyes were glued to James' figure. Sirius reckoned they were doing that weird couple thing again, until Lily broke the connection and closed her eyes.

And when she opened them, she stared straight into Sirius' eyes and he choked at the gratitude painted in her gaze.

"No... _no_ ," Sirius muttered in disbelief as she gave him a small smile.

He wanted to ask her how she could smile at this time, why on earth she would thank him, but he couldn't bring himself to speak. Terror bubbled up in his chest as soon as the weight of his decision amplified the sinking feeling he had in his stomach.

_Five centuries ago._

Lily might _die._

Lily might die _today._

" _I might kill you!"_ Sirius wanted to scream at her. He wanted to scream at all of them, for pushing him into making this decision.

"The House of Black would like to thank everyone for allowing the ritual to transpire on this sacred ground. Before we start the ritual, I would like to proclaim my son, Sirius Orion Black as the official Heir of House of Black."

"Bastard," Sirius mumbled numbly to himself, barely aware of the mutterings and applause surrounding him, as James' outbursts rang in his ear. "Someday...someday I'm going to beat you."

"In behalf of my son, I would like to thank this noble and honourable body for the warm response," Orion said and gave a nod in his direction. Sirius tried his best to casually reciprocate it when all he wanted to do was to retaliate in response.

But they made a promise to Mum.

He had to be good...like his dad.

"Let us begin."

As if back in Orion and Arcturus' study, Sirius watched like a child not wanting to be punished. Orion tapped the bowl with the tip of his wand, and Sirius tried to read Orion's lips that muttered a line that was impossible to discern. A swirling haze of glittery onyx and silver erupted from the bowl, reaching out to the wand hovering above it. The haze ushered to the wand to dig further inside it, as if tempting the summoner to dwell deeper in the Magic, but Orion held onto it until he could stand still.

Sirius shivered at the intensity of Magic oozing out of the bowl. It felt dark, ominous, and so extremely powerful that he felt that maybe... _maybe_ Lily would be able to take their family Magic.

Oh Merlin, she might die.

"No," Sirius declared, looking desperate as if he was trying to convince someone, or himself. "She is a powerful witch. The magic will accept her."

"She has to accept it as well," a woman mumbled beside him, sounding as fearful but more confident than he was.

Sirius could only stare helplessly at James' distressed form.

"I, Orion Arcturus Black, Lord of the House of Black, calls upon the Magic of the House of Black to share its Gifts as we welcome Lily Evans Potter under its Magic."

The air felt heavy and Sirius struggled to breathe, panting as he tried to quell his erratic heartbeat. He watched as Orion sliced open the palm of his hand without an inch of emotion on his face, and let the blood drip from his skin until it filled the bowl. The haze grew bigger, wilder and darker until it engulfed their figures.

Sirius bit his tongue until the seconds turned into minutes and he couldn't temper his waning patience anymore. Despite lacking visuals, he knew they were still in the middle of the courtroom. He knew the Magic was still there. He could still barely breathe.

The sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach grew and he stared at James' desperate gaze towards him. Sirius shook his head, feeling lost as well in the narrative.

Suddenly, the air felt lighter and the figures behind the haze grew visible.

"The ritual is over."

A beat passed, numerous confused glances were exchanged, before the first pair of applause was heard in the room. Soon, smatterings of applause echoed in the room, and every clap intensified Sirius' nerves about the entire scenario.

"What have I done?"


End file.
